Sucks to Be Me
--------------

"My life sucks," announced Ray Kowalski.

"No it doesn't, Ray," his friend Fraser corrected him.

"You're right, Fraser. My life doesn't suck," Ray answered him.

"Good," said Fraser.

"My life doesn't suck because I don't have a life," continued the
detective.

Fraser raised an eyebrow curiously. "You don't?"

"I don't have a life of my own," Ray clarified. "I have somebody else's
life. His name, his job, his friends, his life."

"Oh." What Ray said was true; Fraser just didn't know if he was expected
to say something about it.

"Hey, it ain't your fault, Fraser. I chose this. I chose it 'cause I
didn't have a life of my own, so I figured it couldn't hurt to take on
Vecchio's."

"You must have had a life before, Ray. You had a family, friends, a job."

"My family consists of my brother, out of whose ass the sun shines, and my
parents who might acknowledge I exist once in a blue moon when they are
not with my brother. As for friends, you saw what kind of *friends* they
were during the Botrelle case. And the job? Having a job doesn't
necessarily mean you have a life." 

"Ray, I'm your friend," stated Ben.

"No, Fraser, you are *Vecchio's* friend. But thanks for saying that,
anyway."

"Ray, I am your friend. Your, Stanley Raymond Kowalski's, friend."

"But you don't even know me, Fraser."

"I do know you. I know that you are a good detective, I know that you are 
a good partner, and more than that, you are a good man. Remember, I read
your file. And I believe I have spent enough time with you to get to know
you quite well. Most of all, you are my friend, a very good friend."

"No I'm not," Ray said bitterly.

"Why do say that, Ray?" Fraser inquired.

"Well, lessee, I popped ya in the face, for one. I didn't back you up with
the Warfield case, an' you almost got killed. Any other failures of mine
you can come up with, I'll cop to 'em."

"Ray, if it is true that you don't have a life, would you like to share
mine?"

Ray's eyes almost popped out of his head. "What - what are ya askin' me,
there, Fraser?"

"Well, I don't have much of a life, myself, but what I have, I'm willing
to share. You're my partner, and my friend, and I would do anything for
you. Including share my life with you. You would be a welcome addition."

Ray grinned. "Fraser, are you trying to tell me that you love me?" he
asked.

Fraser rubbed his eyebrow. "Yes, Ray... I believe I am. So - will you?
Share my life?"

Ray hugged the Mountie. "Yeah, Fraser, I will. And I love you, too." The
two men shared a kiss. Ray sighed in contentment.

"Guess it doesn't suck to be me after all," he said.

END